“People Get Old” by Lori McKenna: A Song Analysis

The song I would like to discuss is “People Get Old” by Lori McKenna. I think that the piece is sad, as the singer describes how her father and now she is getting old. The lyrics discuss small moments in the family’s life and the small tasks that need to be done because time passes quickly. McKenna describes her childhood and then her adulthood, at which point she feels that she is in the same place where her father was years ago. Thus, the mood of the song is melancholy because of the progression of time.

Moreover, the song is relatively slow, and I believe it can serve as an example of calmer country music. However, its BPM of 81 means that it is performed in the andante tempo (“Key & BPM for People Get Old”). It is also performed in a major key, specifically A-flat major (“Key & BPM for People Get Old”). The instruments and the vocals are quiet, and the dynamics could be described as mezzo-piano because the guitars play softly, and the drums appear only to provide the beat and not add any loudness or energy to the song. The song moves along at the same tempo but gets louder at the chorus because of added elements.

The instruments include several guitars and drums, and it feels like more guitars are playing in the louder parts, such as during the chorus. The vocals are female, and the singer uses a soft voice – she often speaks quietly rather than sings, especially at the beginning of each verse and at the end of the song. Overall, the song’s texture is homophonic as there is the main melody sung by the performer and an accompanying tune from the guitars.

Work Cited

“Key & BPM for People Get Old by Lori McKenna.” Tunebat, Web.

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StudyCorgi. (2023, January 1). “People Get Old” by Lori McKenna: A Song Analysis. https://studycorgi.com/people-get-old-by-lori-mckenna-a-song-analysis/

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"“People Get Old” by Lori McKenna: A Song Analysis." StudyCorgi, 1 Jan. 2023, studycorgi.com/people-get-old-by-lori-mckenna-a-song-analysis/.

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StudyCorgi. (2023) '“People Get Old” by Lori McKenna: A Song Analysis'. 1 January.

1. StudyCorgi. "“People Get Old” by Lori McKenna: A Song Analysis." January 1, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/people-get-old-by-lori-mckenna-a-song-analysis/.


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StudyCorgi. "“People Get Old” by Lori McKenna: A Song Analysis." January 1, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/people-get-old-by-lori-mckenna-a-song-analysis/.

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StudyCorgi. 2023. "“People Get Old” by Lori McKenna: A Song Analysis." January 1, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/people-get-old-by-lori-mckenna-a-song-analysis/.

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